Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Happy new Year! It´s going to be a white christmas!
We´re working miracles here people. Here´s the story:

First, we had the capilla abierta this week. The capilla abierta is
when we invite anyone and everyone to learn the basics of the church
and listen to the Crista (?) the word of christ while looking at the
statue that´s in almost every visiting center? That one. And then we
go into the cultural hall and we have some cool posters to show, and
it´s like a tour. And the Hermanas are the tour guides. Well, to prep
for this, all the Hermanas went to a training Tuesday in the morning
in the Area offices. Well....we thought it was a training, turns out
we actually practiced doing the tours to all the people who worked in
the Area Offices (luckily not the Area Presidency, that would have
been stressful!) Which was cool because there are a bunch of people
from Nunez that work there, so I got to see them again.

And then the capilla abierta was Friday. But before that, we had a
training meeting for all of the trainers in San Fernando. So, at 9 in
the morning we all bustle on the train to go to the meeting. And what
to our luck, someone jumps in front of the train. So everyone has to
get off....the only problem is, it´s about a 6 ft jump to the ground.
Luckily, there were also Elders on the train to help us Hermanas in
skirts get down modestly. Yes there was male/female touching, but it
wasn´t inappropriate, and I would much rather have an Elder grab me
around the waist to help me off a train then a random stranger. Even
still, it was weird. But, the story gets better, so we start walking
to the next train station (which looking back I don´t know why we did
that, the train was still there blocking the path of any other on
going train). Regardless, apparently we were all shell shocked so we
didn´t think about it, and we start walking to the next train station.
We get there just in time to see our original train pull up.....except
we´re on the wrong side. So all the Elders start running for the other
side, us Hermanas are behind...in skirts....so of course we start
running to make it too. The Elders got there and started yelling
"Espere! Espere!" until all the Hermanas made it on. Aren´t Elders
just great? They really do take care of the Hermanas. And with all
that adventure we still only arrived 10 minutes late to being 30
minutes early. President Gulbrandsen still baja´ed the cañe because we
have to be there early, everytime. Oh well. Love the adventure.

So, went to the training, left the training early to go set up for the
capilla abierta. Took the train (risky we know) to the nearest station
when....it starts to rain. Needless to say, we showed up to the church
a little wet, but we had prayed to at least look presentable and we
did. Started the capilla abierta, all is well. But there weren´t
throngs of people there so every companionship that wasn´t giving
tours was out on the street contacting and inviting people in. It was
fun. We had a couple of Elders from our district come and help us out
too. All in all, good clean fun.

And afterwards there was the Ward Dinner and we got to eat Papa lajuan
kaina. I love Peruvian food!

Then there was Sunday. We had another searching for people moment,
didn´t think we would get anyone to church. But in the end we ended up
having 5 investigators in church. One of which was a miracle.
Graciela, whom we had invited to church 2 minutes before starting last
week, came to church all on her own. Literally, because we hadn´t been
able to contact her at all this week. Tiny miracles for working so
hard every day. I love it .

In the end, I have a huge testimony that this season really is a time
of miracles. God is watching over us and he knows of our efforts and
what we truly desire. I´m so grateful to be a part of this work. And
it would be really cool, to hear from you guys, some of your Christmas
miracles that you have seen or been a part of. That would be a great
Christmas present.

I love you all so much! Remember, Christ was born, and Christ Lives.
And Because of him we have the opportunity to live a truly meaningful
and wonderful life.

Hermana Reed